


The Marble Lover of Liberty

by little_but_fierce



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Marius is sad and I am too, Minor Cosette Fauchelevent/Marius Pontmercy, Old Age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 04:06:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9160618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_but_fierce/pseuds/little_but_fierce
Summary: Paris, 1878Marius visits the World's Fair.“Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”





	

Marius leaned a little harder on his cane, starting to feel the exhaustion from walking and standing for an extended period of time. After a lengthy journey from his home, he had reached Paris the previous evening. The rumblings of the magnificence of the unfinished statue being displayed at the _Exposition Universelle_ had been in the papers for weeks, but Marius needed to see it to believe it.

He stared at the marvel in front of him, stunned by both its size and magnificence. However, he knew he was only viewing a piece of the final sculpture. How he wished he could see it in its completion before it traveled across the sea. He also wished he could somehow capture his current view to show his wife. Cosette had recently taken ill and was unable to make the journey.

Marius was unaware of how long he had stood admiring the shiny copper in front of him when he was startled by a sudden voice. At some point, a young woman had appeared beside him. “It is lovely, is it not?” she asked. He nodded in response. “Did you know it is being shipped to America?” she continued. “Apparently it is a gift to honor being allies.”

Marius offered a smile and replied, “I did read that.” As she continued to speak, he started to drift from what she was saying until he was brought back suddenly by a word.

“Liberty.”

“What?” Marius asked.

“The statue. It is supposed to represent liberty,” she responded. “I am surprised they chose a woman for the statue. Women are not even allowed to vote. It is instead a reminder that liberty does not apply to all.” A moment later, she asked, “Do you believe we can ever achieve actual liberty for all?”

Marius did not answer right away, as his voice was halted by the sudden grief that swept through his heart. After a few moments, he spoke. “Someone I once knew did,” he responded softly. “He believed it with all his heart.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I originally posted this on tumblr at a-dreamer-and-a-cynic


End file.
